Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a flat-out lie during a Monday press briefing when she said that Donald Trump won by an “overwhelming majority” of 63 million votes — despite the fact that his Democratic opponent won 65.8 million votes and he lost the popular vote.
Trump did win the electoral college, which determines the presidency, winning 304 electoral votes compared to 227 for Clinton.
“He got elected by an overwhelming majority of 63 million Americans who supported him and wanted to see his policies enacted. He’s delivered on that,” Sanders said during her first White House press briefing in weeks.
She make the remark while going over the accomplishments of the president, which she said were ignored by much of the news media.
Sanders’ comment on Monday was only the most recent attempt by the White House to claim that Trump won a majority of votes in 2016.
Trump has repeatedly touted the falsehood that he won the popular vote “if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally,” a claim that has been disproven multiple times. Studies have shown that voter fraud was not a widespread issue during the 2016 election.
Sanders also told that they should not expect the president to tone down his rhetoric against critics and political opponents.
“The president will continue to draw contrasts. Let’s not forget that these same Democrats have repeatedly attacked the president, whether it was Eric Holder, saying kick ’em when they’re down, whether it was Hillary Clinton saying you can’t be civil until Democrats have control of Congress, or whether it’s Maxine waters, who encouraged her supporters to get up not just in the president’s face but all administration officials’ faces,” Sanders said Monday at a White House press brieifing.
“Those actions are from those Democrats. The president will continue to fight back when these individuals not only attack him, but attack members of his administration and supporters of his administration,” Sanders said.
Twitter quickly called her out:
.@PressSec [1]: Trump in 2016 won an "overwhelming majority of 63 million Americans."
Hillary got 65.8 million.
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) October 29, 2018 [2]
Another @PressSec [1] lie: Trump won "an overwhelming majority of 63 million people." He lost the popular vote; @hillaryclinton [3] won more than 65 million votes. Jesus.
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) October 29, 2018 [4]
Someone needs to tell colossal LIAR Sarah Sanders (@PressSec [1] ) that the 63 million idiots who voted for racist Pussygrabber (@realDonaldTrump [5] ) was NOT an overwhelming majority. Mrs. Clinton received a majority of votes in the election of THREE MILLION votes. That's the majority!
— whatever_atx (@whatever_atx) October 29, 2018 [6]
Sarah Sanders just said that Trump got elected by an overwhelming majority of 63 million Americans.
Hillary Clinton got 2.9 million more votes in that election.
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) October 29, 2018 [7]
.@PressSec [1] You seemed to have forgotten. Trump was not elected by "overwhelming majority of 63 million Americans". He lost to Hillary Clinton in popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes. Hope this helps. @CNN [8] @WhiteHouse [9] pic.twitter.com/249lDswgXp [10]
— Bill Wong (@ten24get) October 29, 2018 [11]
Trump Math 101
Sarah Sanders just now: Trump "got elected by an overwhelming majority of 63 million Americans."
Last time I check 65.8 Million > 63 Million.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) October 29, 2018 [12]
@PressSec [1] No wonder you haven't given a briefing in so long.
YOU COMPLETELY LOST IT. You are unhinged, you are weak, you are a liar.
LOL, you say Trump won with a huge majority of 63 million. That was LESS than Clinton got.
You are delusional, and evil. GO AWAY.
— Marvin Caribou (@NFListheWWE) October 29, 2018 [13]
WATCH:
SANDERS defends TRUMP'S hateful attacks on media & Dems: "Doesn't matter if there's a midterm or not, the president's going to defend himself and fight back."
Asked if Trump is even capable of "toning it down," Sanders responds by attacking the media, before storming off. pic.twitter.com/lGDbRhgXB1 [14]
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 29, 2018 [15]